Being in the mountains for the last few days brought some things to mind.

The Mountaintop vs. The Valley.

In life, we all want to be standing on the mountaintop. We're happy, everything is comfortable, and the view isn't too bad either. Life is good. But we aren't always going to be on top of that mountain. Unexpected disappointments, bad news, heartache. The things that bring us down from the mountaintop to the valley. It's easy to think "Why me?" when we're in a season of life that brings us down from that mountaintop. It's easy to be bitter. It's easy to question God when things don't go our way. But what we don't realize a lot of times is this: just as there is a purpose for Him bringing us to the top of that mountain, there is also a purpose for the times in life that are spent in the valley.

Perspective is key. It is key in every detail of life. When you're in lowest of valleys, instead of asking, "Why me", why don't we ever ask God what he is trying to teach us? Or what we can learn from being in that place?

Perspective.

We can sit in that valley and feel sorry for ourselves, or we can choose to see the bigger picture. We can choose believe that there is a purpose for being there. We can ask the Lord to reveal to us what He is trying to teach us through our current situation, and trust that He is with us through it.

As I am typing this, I am looking back at the photos I have on my laptop. (It's times like these I'm thankful that I am a picture hoarder). I have everything as far back as 2012 until now. I am reminded of the times in my life, good and bad, over the last several years.

I was reminded that in 2015, I started college, and was absolutely terrified of what Division I volleyball would be like. I was reminded that 2016 was a really great year for me. It was a year where I really began developing and deepening friendships/relationships with the people around me. I broke out of my shell a little more, and really just enjoyed life. I was reminded that 2017 was a much harder year for me. School became more difficult, maintaining relationships seemed to become more difficult, and it all just seemed too much to handle. I was reminded that 2018 began my senior year of college. There were many "lasts" in terms of volleyball that hit pretty hard. But most importantly, 2018 became the year of contentment for me. After spending a good amount of time stuck in the valley the previous year, 2018 was a year where I learned to be content with myself and who I was becoming. Lastly, 2019 was a year full of firsts and lasts. More importantly, it was a year of growth, and I didn't even realize it at the time. This last year required great faith in more ways than one.

The common denominator I found as I reminisced through my pictures over the years, was that despite the circumstances I faced in any particular year, the Lord was faithful Every. Single. Time. There was not one circumstance that I faced alone. There was not one tough situation that He didn't deliver me from. So, even though life gets hard, there is a purpose for our pain. And when we do reach that mountaintop, don't forget to praise the One who brought you there.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1.